Branded Gloves and Method for Producing the Same

ABSTRACT

The disclosed embodiments provide a branded glove and a method for producing the same. In one embodiment, the branded glove includes an upper portion having a first circumferential edge, and a lower portion having a second circumferential edge, wherein the first circumferential edge of the upper portion joins the second circumferential edge of the lower portion to define an enclosure for placing a hand. The upper portion includes a securing mechanism, wherein the securing mechanism secures the hand within the enclosure. The securing mechanism provides a first brand placement area, and the upper portion provides a second brand placement area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/230,456 filed Jul. 31, 2009, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to gloves and, more particularly, to a specially branded golf glove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating exemplary elements of a branded glove embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a template illustrating elements of an exemplary embodiment of the branded glove production process of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3-9 illustrate portions of an exemplary branded glove production process of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The making and using of the presently preferred embodiments are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a glove 100 exemplifying elements of the disclosed embodiments. As illustrated, glove 100 comprises an upper portion 102, and a lower portion 103, only an edge of which is depicted in FIG. 1. The upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 join along a seam 104 to define an interior space (not shown) configured for receiving a user's hand. The seam 104 comprises a circumferential edge of the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 such that joining the upper portion 102 to the lower portion 103 along the seam 104 defines the interior space. In the illustrated embodiment, a sown seam 104 provides the joining mechanism joining the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103. In an alternative embodiment, the joining mechanism may comprise an adhesive. One skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed embodiments contemplate and include any suitable means to join the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103. In a preferred embodiment, the interior space provides an area for a user of the glove 100 to insert the his/her hand such that the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 envelope the user's hand and allow independent dexterous motion of each of the user's fingers.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 may comprise a high quality faux leather, a cabretta leather, or a combination of faux and cabretta leather. One skilled in the art will understand that the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 may comprise any number of shapes intended to provide an enclosure for a user's hand including shapes that do not allow for independent locomotion of a user's hand. Furthermore, the upper portion 102 and the lower portion 103 may comprise any suitable material for a particular glove use.

The interior space includes opening 107 through which a user places his/her hand into the interior space. In a preferred embodiment, a separation 108 extends into the upper portion 102 away from the opening 107 separating a portion of the upper portion 102 into two portions. The separation 108 allows the upper portion 102 to expand enabling a user to more easily place his/her hand through the opening 107 into the enclosure 105. One skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed embodiments contemplate and include placement of the separation 108 in the lower portion 103. Furthermore, disclosed embodiments contemplate and include any suitable alternative means of expansion for placement of the user's hand within the interior space of the glove 100. The glove 100 may also include a securing mechanism 106. In a preferred embodiment, the securing mechanism 106 comprises a Velcro latch extending across the separation 108 such that, when the securing mechanism 106 secures, it prevents expansion of the upper portion 102, thus securing the user's hand within the interior space. One skilled in the art will understand that the securing mechanism 106 may comprise any suitable securing mechanism including but not limited to mechanisms such as elastic bands, buttons, or snaps.

The glove 100 further comprises at least one of a first brand placement area 121, a second brand placement area 122, and a third brand placement area 123 on the upper portion 102, and a fourth brand placement area (not shown) on the lower portion 103. In a preferred embodiment, the glove 100 undergoes a design process utilizing a design template that is customized for each brand logo design. The design template allows the glove 100 to go through an embroidery and decoration process that is unique for each brand, involving sublimation and direct printing thus preferably enabling the glove 100 to include advertising or logo placement on the first brand placement area 121, the second brand placement area 122, the third brand placement area 123, and/or the fourth brand placement area 124. Traditionally, glove branding production techniques limited the brand placement area to the Velcro closure of prior art gloves. The addition of the second brand placement area 122, the third brand placement area 123, and the fourth brand placement area 124 greatly increases the branding area of the glove 100 over prior art gloves and the associated methods of production. In addition, the disclosed production method allows for production of gloves 100 with surface designs of greatly increased complexity.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the glove 100 production process begins with the development and selection of a particular product and a printing design layout for each particular client. Production continues wherein the process properly aligns the printing design layout 200 on a template 201 for the printing process. In the preferred embodiment, proper alignment comprises using an index finger 202, the finger closest to a potential user's thumb, as the reference centerpoint for the printing process. Using the index finger 202 as the reference centerpoint for the printing process allows production of multiple sizes of the glove 100 on a single printing run. As illustrated, the template comprises an outline 201 of each particular glove size. Here, there are five different size markings from LEDIS M/S (female small/medium) through MENS XL-XXL (male extra large through double extra large). Also shown in FIG. 2 are the second brand placement area 122 and the third brand placement area 123 of FIG. 1. Next, the glove 100 material is printed according the printing design layout for that particular glove 100. The process uses a proprietary material and printing mix to ensure proper curing and design adherence to the glove 100 material. The end result of the printing process is a sheet of a printed proprietary material 300 having a customer's desired logo and layout for the first brand placement area 121, the second brand placement area 122, the third brand placement area 123, and the fourth brand placement area 124. The printed proprietary material 300 is now ready for cutting and sewing in accordance with the process described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 thru 9, there is shown a portion of the glove 100 production process following the proprietary printing of the printing design layout 200 on the proprietary material. The process begins in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the printed proprietary material 300 is marked for diet cutting production. The process continues at FIG. 5 wherein a cutting die 400 is aligned over the printed proprietary material 300 according to the size of the glove 100 that is being produced. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the printed proprietary material 300 and the properly aligned cutting die 400 are placed on a die cutting press 500 wherein the cutting die 400 is forced through the printed proprietary material 300 creating a top glove portion 301, and an excess portion 302 shown in FIG. 7. The process continues at FIG. 8 wherein the excess portion 302 is separated from the top glove portion 301, leaving the top glove portion 301, FIG. 9, ready for sewing to a bottom glove portion (not shown) produced in a similar manner. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the top glove portion 301 and the bottom glove portion 302 are then sewn together in any suitable manner such that a user may insert his or her hand into the completed glove 100 as intended for the purpose of the particular purpose of the glove 100.

It is understood that the present invention may take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, the glove 100 may comprise a mitten, or a fingerless glove. In addition, the glove 100 may comprise many alternative materials, such as canvas, cotton, or other suitable leathers.

Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention. 

1. A glove comprising: an upper portion having a first circumferential edge; a lower portion having a second circumferential edge, wherein said first circumferential edge of said upper portion joins said second circumferential edge of said lower portion to define an enclosure for placing a hand; a securing mechanism, wherein said securing mechanism secures said hand within said enclosure; said securing mechanism comprising a first brand placement area; and said upper portion comprising a second brand placement area.
 2. The glove of claim 1, further comprising said upper portion and said lower portion having segregated portions corresponding to fingers of said hand.
 3. The glove of claim 2, wherein said segregated portions comprise a third brand placement area.
 4. The glove of claim 1, wherein said lower portion comprises a fourth brand placement area.
 5. A method for branding a glove comprising: designing said glove with a design template customized for brand logo design; and combining special design templates, sublimation, and direct printing in a unique decoration process.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said combining said special design templates, said sublimation, and said direct printing comprises: aligning a printing design layout over a material such that an index finger of said glove comprises a centerpoint reference; printing said material in response to said centerpoint reference and said printing design layout to produced a printed material; aligning a cutting die over said printed material; cutting said printed material with said cutting die; separating excess printed material to produce a top glove portion; repeating said aligning, printing, cutting and separating steps to produce a bottom glove portion; sewing said top glove portion to said bottom glove portion to produce said glove.
 7. A glove for identifying a user's brand loyalty, the glove comprising: an upper portion having a first circumferential edge; a lower portion having a second circumferential edge, wherein said first circumferential edge of said upper portion joins said second circumferential edge of said lower portion to define an enclosure for placing a hand; a securing mechanism, wherein said securing mechanism secures said hand within said enclosure; said securing mechanism comprising a first brand placement area; and said upper portion comprising a second brand placement area; wherein said first and second brand placement are customized for a selected brand logo design. 